My name is Diana Allers, I was a news reporter during the war... during the war. So strange to think that all of it is over, long finished even as I write this. That I got to watch Reaper shells burning in space outside my window. For the final battle Commander Shepherd had me transfer over to the flagship of Alliance Fleet Admiral Hackett, to get the best view he said. I was there on the bridge for all of it. The desperation, the pain, the sacrifice and... the triumph. The fact that I am alive to write this today proves that we won, that against all odds the galaxy stood together and prevailed.

The fleet took massive casualties in those desperate hours of fighting. Even worse the firing of the Crucible, the super weapon that has delivered us, has also heralded the start of a dark age, where all the universe is cut off from each other... but we are alive and that is a start. The following document is my notes from those first days, because we're going to live on, we're going to survive. We're going to follow the example of Commander Shepherd. If he taught us anything, if the greatest hero the galaxy ever knew taught us anything, it's to be indomitable. To never surrender, no matter the odds or circumstances. I'm proud to say as a human being and a citizen of the galaxy, that in those days following the fall of the Reapers, we rose above. All of us.

Diana Allers28/9/12 P.R.E

Day 0:

Commander Shepherd succeeded in destroying the Reaper threat. He ended it and saved us all. But the relays were destroyed in the process, leaving millions stranded. On this day, day zero no thought was given to the future by any involved. Though perhaps our leaders should have begun to do so immediately. After the salvation of the Galaxy from those would end us all, I believe that a day off was acceptable.

-------------------

From the log of Kari'Kitai vas Lenaia, Quarian 7th Marines

There was a moment of silence like I had never before heard. Like the entire universe held it's breath in anticipation for a single second. Then the light... the light began flowing from the bright spot in the sky, from the Citadel. Keelah it was gorgeous... then the Reapers began to burn. That was even more beautiful then the light itself. I found myself hugging a turian sniper who's name I'll never know, jumping up and down like school children. The combined voices of every soldier in London crying out to the heavens. A scream of survival, of victory.

When the order to brace came I only had time for one thought, "Oh bugger" as I recall. I was in the middle of a dog fight with a particularly tenacious Reaper "eyeball" trying to keep him and his friends off one of the Turian light cruisers that was supporting the Crucible and moving to engage one of the bigger Reapers. The shock wave came out of no where and while you might be able to ride shit like that out fairly easily in a dreadnought. Things are a little different in a fighter. Wildest ride of my life, burned my inertial dampeners out as they tried to compensate for it. Once I finished riding the wave and could unglue myself from the controls I saw it. The Reapers... not even dying but dead. I just sat back in my burned out fighter and watched that for awhile, the burning Reapers over my home world. I barely even noticed when a Turian Combat Search and Rescue boat picked me up. It was just... beautiful in that peaceful moment, right after the end.

Day 1:

ANN News Bulletin:

Search and rescue efforts system wide have begun in earnest with the crew of the alliance frigate SR-2 Normady being among the first recovered. Light casualties were reported amongst the crew but no fatalities. A near miracle considering the conditions of the Normandy's crash in Africa and a testament to the skills of Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau. Of the entire crew and staff, their primary concern was not about the relays but for their leader. While Shepherd was a hero to all of us, he was a friend to all of them. The leader who brought them to the end of the world and back, to the very gates of hell itself. The entire Normady crew is joining the SAR efforts where their injuries permit.

Meanwhile the Asari Counselor, Turian Primarch Victus, Admiral Hackett, Clan Leader Urdnot Wrex and the Quarian Admiral's Board held their first formal meeting together to discuss the situation at hand. It was confirmed by alliance scouts that the Mass Relay has been destroyed. FTL links with nearby systems confirmed that their Relays were gone as well, extrapolating from that it seemed that the entire system of Mass Relays had gone down. Now the combined fleets of the galaxy are stranded here in Sol system. There is no going home. Fleet wide reports of just an incredible sense of loss amongst the allied fleet, especially within the Quarian migrant fleet. Who had just so recently retaken their own home world. Admiral Hackett, acting as the new head of the Council that was to begin the forming of a combined government until something more formal could be established addressed the combined forces later that evening.

Excerpt from "The Unification Speech":

"...While it seems that all is lost, that we have gone from darkness to darkness, lost our worlds and lives only to do so again an instant after we have regained them I tell you that it is not so! We are alive! We have survived the worst the universe can throw at us by coming together in the darkest hour of our need. To our allies I only have this to say, we mourn the loss of the worlds that you have left behind, the isolation we currently face from the rest of the galaxy. Many of you certainly feel that you have lost your home worlds, even after fighting so hard to defend them.

Again I tell you that is not so. We have reports from the shattered links of the FTL communications systems that our worlds survived, that we won. Truly won. The planet you are in orbit of or on now is called Earth, you fought and died for it just as humans fought and died for your worlds. Because your blood has been spilled for this place, it is your place. Just as much as it is ours. To everyone in our fleet, to everyone who stood against the darkness. Earth is your homeworld, we are your people. We all stood united and in that spirit we should not stand apart. To the Turians, Quarians, Asari, Salarians, Krogan, human and all the races who stood with us... to all who are now here in the Sol system with us. I have only this to say.

Good job and welcome home."

Day 2:

Historical Note from Diana Allers:

While it wasn't quite as easy as Hackett's speech would have us all hope for. The vaguest outlines of the species coming together continued, the Salarians especially were the first to process and accept their new change in status. Querying the Admiral's flagship, now re-dubbed the Sol Unified Fleet Dreadnought Phoenix rising, about possible Colony sites in South America and other tropical regions of earth. Of the rest the Quarians were the hardest hit, the entire migrant fleet had come to Sol system to see the fight with the Reapers through to the end, leaving only a few million colonists to retake Rannoch with the aide of their Geth allies.

While some where dismayed to the point of suicide, a figure of hope walked among them all. Admiral Tali'Zorah of the migrant fleet gave them hope, going to many of the ships of the migrant fleet personally and spreading the word that, while they had gained and lost Rannoch in a span of months. They were still home. They would still carry on and with the promised help of the Salarians and other surviving scientific communities after rebuilding began in earnest they would walk under the skies of Earth with out masks. The rumors of Tali'Zorah's personal relationship with Commander Shepherd actually helped encourage the Quarian people, their relationship serving as an example that their species could coexist and that in the end life continues no matter what. Tali'Zorah's actual feelings and her personal desires however were slightly at odds with her public face, as this journal entry reveals.

Admiral Tali'Zorah's personal log

Dear Diary,

Keelah this political garbage is wearing on me... I... I'm so scared that I lost him. I knew I might, I knew... but I want so much to be looking for him right now. Instead I'm doing what he would have wanted me to, what Shepherd would have wanted me to do. He would have wanted for me to stand up straight with my head held high. To rally my people, to rally all peoples before this next great challenge, the next mountain to climb. It's what he'd want me to do. What he said he knew I could do, that I was a leader... I'm still not so sure. I'll try for him though, always I'll try for him and this time like the last I will succeed.

I miss him.

I... I miss him so much. That one shining memory, of our house on the home world, any home world. Rannoch, Earth, keelah we could settle any where and I'd be home. I wouldn't care so long as he was there. That memory means everything to me now... and hope. Hope that he's still with us, that we'll find him and I'll be home again.

Keelah Se'lai.

-------------------

Others amongst the Commander's team weren't quite as distraught as Admiral Tali'Zorah however and like it did for her, hope continued for them.

------------------

Garrus Vakarian's personal log:

Another fruitless day of searching wreckage. At least I was able to pick up an assault shuttle with better scanners this time. The flight team was most obliging once they figured out who I was and who I was looking for. I'm not going to give up though. It takes a hell of a lot more then a damn space station blowing up to kill Shepherd.

He's been back from the dead once already, I'm sure doing it again won't be much of a problem. The first time's always the hardest. Besides he owes me a drink on the beach... I hear somewhere on Earth called "the Bahamas" is a good place for vacationing like that. Hopefully the Reapers left at least one bar intact and they have a decent Turian whiskey somewhere on this planet.

Day 7:

ANN News Bulletin:

"....while some rioting has broken out amongst ships of the allied fleet the over all tone has been somber as many mourn those they have left behind. But there is hope and pride in these brave individuals as the provisional unified government begins to coordinate relief efforts and plan a new future for the Sol system..."

ANN News Bulletin:

"...Admiral Hackett has officially stepped down as the commanding officer of the Alliance military and has accepted the position of Human Counselor for the new Sol Council, taking his place as Fleet Admiral for the time being will be Vice Admiral Shepherd, mother of Commander Shepherd, one of the few senior Alliance military officers left alive after the battle of London. The fleet has chosen to mirror the council and is convening an Admiral's board of the senior military officers of each major fleet as the voting members and the smaller forces having non-voting representatives for the time being. This board is expected to hold the line temporarily until the new protocol for the unified fleets can be established by the S.A. Council. SAR operations continue through out the system with special attention being paid to the wreckage of the Citadel in hopes that some of the millions of civilians, and Commander Shepherd, possibly survived the Reapers and the firing of the Crucible."

Day 10:

Turian Scout Shuttle "Blade" Cockpit Recorder

Pilot Arcturius Alkronit: "Got anything? We're in a little close to some of this debris and I don't feel like slagging one of the engines today."

Copilot Daedren Ratarian: "Yeah we're supposed to be the rescuers, not the rescuees."

Tech Specialist Nala'Rasha vas Raaya: "Calm down fly boys we're more the 25 meters from the nearest debris, I thought turians were supposed to be tough?"

Tech Specialist Nala'Rasha: "No I'm sure it's some other set of Alliance N7 armor belonging to some other human named Shepherd who just happened to be on the Citadel..."

Pilot Arcturius: "Okay, okay I get it, informing fleet command."

Copilot Daedren: "You need to send it out wideband sir, the whole fleet needs to hear about this! Even if we've only found his body... I mean it's Shepherd! Did you hear what he did for some of the units out there? The Turians he's saved alone..."

Pilot Arcturius: "That's a damn good point... Alright command can fry me for it later but we're getting the word out... to everyone."

*Activates wide band radio*

Pilot Arcturius: "Attention all ships, this Scout Shuttle Blade, we have located Commander Shepherd, request breaching response teams to the following coordinates immediately!"

Day 11:

ANN Priority News Bulletin:

"After just shy of 48 hours of tireless work by a Quarian Fleet Marine Corps breaching and ship rescue team lead personally by Admiral Tali'Zorah vas Normandy has breached just shy of a hundred meters of heavy plating and safely recovered Commander Shepherd, while details about the Commander are limited military command has confirmed that he is alive and aboard the Naval Hospital Ship Redemption where he is listed as being in critical condition. Our thoughts, hopes and prayers are with the Commander, his friends and his family as he goes through the next forty eight hours, which an inside in the hospital ship's ICU says will be critical to his survival. When asked for a comment Commander Sheperd's comrade in arms and self described drinking buddy Garrus Vakarian simply said "Called it." and walked away from the ANN reporter he was speaking with.

Day 12:

Admiral Tali'Zorah's personal log

Dear Diary,

Heart of the stars it's been a long day diary. It feels like it's been months since the final battle, since we took the combined might of the Galaxy to defeat the Reapers in orbit around Earth, years since the moment I thought I'd lost him... but what was lost is found. I have him back diary, everything I ever truly wanted, even more then Rannock, is personified in this one man... this one human man. Father would be so disappointed in my choices. I think I don't care any more. I've taken up a vigil, there's a small room outside the airlock to his ICU unit, I dragged a chair in there that I scrounged from an unattended office. I'll be here till he's ok. Alone I suppose, everyone else is busy but all I want is for this miracle that gave him back to me to... someone's coming.

*log interrupted*

Vice Admiral Shep... Hannah, Shepherd's mother is here. I still can't call him John for some reason... no matter much I love him. Hannah and I... talked. I think we're going to be talking a lot. I doubt either of us are going to leave until he can walk out with us. I know I won't, the Admiralty board can strip me of my rank later.

Hannah is... very nice. I expected her to be overbearing, disapproving like my father. Shepherd and I... we're both military brats, both born spacers. I didn't expect Shepherd's parents to be different then mine. She's... warm, welcoming, caring. She even gave me a hug. I don't know how she knows... but she knows. Maybe it's a mother thing. My mother could do things like that too. I get the sense she approves of me though diary... I... I'm glad. Maybe the wait for Shepherd to get better won't be quite so lonely.

Keelah Se'lai

Day 14:

ANN News Bulletin:

Allied forces are putting down rifles and picking up shovels as heavy troop transports move thousands of S.A. soldiers, Marines and sailors to the surface in one of the largest military troop movements in galactic history. Instead of attacking of invading these troops are breaking ground on a new city in the southern hemisphere, moving prefabs into place in what was once Rio de Janerio before the invasion obliterated the beautiful Brazilian city completely. Similar work details are making planetfall world wide to provide aid and reconstruction support to surviving local populaces en masse. Other major work details include massive groups of troops being landed to till fields and manage live stock, as well as prepare massive hydroponics works and greenhouses so that all of Earth's populations will have food in the next year. Most of the hydroponics facilities are being dedicated to food to help support the new Turian population, to supplement the massive Quarian lifeships that are being placed in geostationary orbit around the planet.

Day 16:

ANN News Bulletin:

The Sol Admiralty board and Counselor Steven Hackett announced that Commander Shepherd has finished the majority of his needed surgeries and is recovering well. The Commander should be returned to active duty within six months. At a new posting however. The Commander was offered the position of Fleet Admiral by the provisional government. There's no report as to whether the Commander will accept the promotion. Counselor Hackett had this to say "There's no better man in the galaxy to lead us into the future then the man who brought us all together. The council and I are in complete agreement on this matter. Personally I've thought that Commander Shepherd was working above his paygrade as of the first time he saved the galaxy from imminent destruction, so we probably owe him a few promotions considering this is the third time he's managed to prevent the end of intelligent life as we know it."

Day 27:

ANN News Bulletin:

This is an ANN exclusive, Dr. Maelon, a salarian scientist and former member of the Salarian Special Tasks Group informed the Sol Alliance council a week ago that he had developed a potential cure for the weakened immune systems found in the Quarians. A unit of Quarian Marines volunteered to be the first to accept the refined genetic modification and were lead by Admiral Tali'Zorah. The cure apparently has worked as we have this exclusive image, possibly one of the first of a Quarian unmasked and outside of an exosuit with out fear of death in centuries of Tali'Zorah at Commander Shepherd's bedside. The couple was holding hands, and while Commander Shepherd is still confined to his hospital bed, the Commander's famous hostility towards reporters manifested itself in a glare that would make a krogan think twice. The news crew apologizes for interrupting the personal moment between the Sol Alliance's so called "first alliance".

*image file corrupted, access via general extranet archive files*

When we asked Dr. Maelon why his findings hadn't come forth sooner he had this to say. "This isn't really my work, this data was left to me by the will of my teacher, Dr. Mordin Solus, I might have finished it, but he did the work over the last four or five years. I just finished and refined the data... I was working on it, even during the final battle. As always I'm just following in my mentor's footsteps." For the unaware Dr. Mordin Solus was another STG veteran and a survivor of Commander Shepherd's mission to destroy the collector base a little over one and a half solar years ago. The Doctor is most famous for his work reinforcing and more recently curing the Krogan geneophage.

Day 39:

ANN News Update:

With rebuilding work across the system moving ahead at full tilt and Agro-techs projecting a very plentiful crop for all species food stuffs in the coming season the S.A. Council announced that they were going to begin devoting resources from the remaining fleet to reopening former Systems Alliance bases on Mars, including a large Prothean research facility that will now be directed by Dr. Liara Tisoni. The red planet's other major research facility and what remains of it's orbiting spacial facilities is the Noviea Plantia ship yards and Naval Research Facilities, with plenty of ships to stock the fleet the Naval Yard is being given over to the staff of the Crucible research team, now re-designated as the "Stargate" program. There reported mission will be to begin research and construction into the design of mass relays. While the council and directors of the project are hopeful, no projections of results can be made for a project of this magnitude and technological scale. Counselor Hackett personally commented to this reporter that,

"We have the best damn minds in the galaxy working on this, and we learned a large amount from the Crucible project, between that and Dr. Tisoni's continuing efforts in the Prothean ruins on Mars I have high expectations for the Stargate team to see us through. Make no mistake, this will take some time, I have no illusions about that but we will end this galactic dark age that the destruction of the Reaper threat has forced on us. Till then we all need to pull together, no longer as separate species, but as one system, as one people of many cultures and races, against a truly unified people such as we have the means to create here, nothing in the galaxy will be able to stop us, not even a couple fried mass relays."

Day 45:

Admiral Tali'Zorah's personal log

Dear Diary,"I'm going to build you a house on the home world" always my father's dream, his promise, and as a daughter who wanted to please my father, and as a Quarian that became my dream too. I couldn't help but reflect on this today.

Shepherd is feeling better and is more and more active. This mean some paper work for him of course, but Hackett is mostly making everyone leave him alone. Grunt and some other Krogan shock troops guarding the hallways nearby to protect Shepherd doesn't hurt either, even if it does worry some of the nurses a bit. I went out and snuck in some contraband, a few of Shepherd's things, some food, a couple books, including one of poetry from Ashley. Returning the favor she said. When I came back however it was Shepherd surprising me. I'll never know how he managed to get me flowers from his hospital bed but he did, Earth roses, midnight blue instead of the traditional red. They were some of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. Keelah... after a life in space I think both of us truly appreciate growing things with a passion.

The second surprise was even better. Real estate. An old human term for a home, or a place to build a home. Shepherd had someone, Garrus I'd bet, bring him a computer and a bunch of brochures for various places we could live. So many choices... so beautiful. I can't wait to be able to see all of it with out a mask or an exosuit on. With Maelon's cure... it should only be a year or so and I can do short excursions now with immuno-supplements and other basic precautions.

Still in spite of it all, of the amazing turn things have taken, of the miracles that just keep piling up after the victory... I can't help but reflect on Rannoch and on my father. I suppose I finally am fulfilling his dream of a house on the home world... I just don't think any one in all the stars of the galaxy could have predicted that my home world would be so far from where my race was born, a whole sky away from them. Or that the person who could make that house a home would be a human... much less the man who saves the Galaxy so regularly that he's literally made a career out of it.

I'm going to go sneak into his hospital bed diary, if the doctors don't like it I'll let Grunt deal with them.

Keelah Se'lai

Addendum: I think I want to build our home by the sea.

Day 60:

ANN News Bulletin:

Commander Shepherd was sighted out of the hospital for the first time since his recovery today attended by several friends and family members including recently promoted System Police Commander Garrus Vakarian and Admiral Tali'Zorah, while a gathering of this many heroes of the budding Sol Alliance would normally draw out the paparazzi and press in force a company of Alliance Marines under Lieutenant Commander James Vega were providing security and didn't let anyone closer then near visual range, asking that "People respect the Commander's privacy during this time of healing." the Marines were reported to add "Or I'll break your head." to the official statement in the case of several "overzealous" reporters. An insider from the Alliance council reports that Commander Shepherd was being taken to the Solar Alliance Council chambers to be sworn in as the new Admiral of the Fleet, but neither the Council's official press office or the military's public affairs office would comment on the rumor.

I really don't know how Shepherd does it some times. Maybe this time it's the implants but he's survived so much more then any normal human should be able to bear so many times now... I think it's finally caught up with him this time though. According to his charts it looks like he'll be walking with a limp for the rest of his life, we'll do everything we can to correct for that of course, my continuing treatment of Jeff "Joker" Moreau has lead me to some rather progressive treatment vectors for skeletal system weakness and damage.

Of course Shepherd's chart also says he shouldn't be conscious, much less able to move around on his own and he's been doing that for over a month.

Day 64:

ANN News Bulletin:

Fighting has broken out in several small areas of the Krogan colony being established in central Africa as clans attempt to rebel against Urdnot Wrex and his new form of governmental control that's based on a more democratic model. Krogan being forced to pick up a trade in addition to combat is also said to be at the heart of this second smaller rebellion.

The rebellion is dying out quickly however as loyal Krogan forces responded almost immediately to the hot spots with the main rebel base being crushed by a lightning air drop raid by the Krogan warriors of Aralach Company lead by the famous "Grunt" one of Clan Urdnot's elite warriors and a veteran of Commander Shepherd's operations against Collector forces in the Terminus systems.

Clan Chief Urdnot Wrex personally joined in the fighting and killed the leader of the rebels in hand-to-hand combat. The Clan Chief issued this statement to Alliance News sources shortly after the early morning raid finished.

"This is an internal Krogan matter and there's no need for the rest of the Sol Alliance's involvement. My species has practiced warfare for so long now that the idea of doing anything else is confusing and scary to them, unfortunately my species reacts to fear by trying to kill whatever might be causing that unease in them, even worse is that it's me causing that unease and I'm damn hard to kill. This issue will be settled and the Krogan will accept this change, Shepherd and Dr. Mordin Solus put a lot of faith in us when they helped cure the genophage, they believed that we could get past our violent hearts and be productive members of the univers and I aim to prove them right."

Day 70:

ANN News Bulletin:

Some positive news in the wake of the internal conflict amongst the Krogan, the Quarian Conclave officially announced the beginning of construction of the sealed city of New Rannoch and the end of military authority over the non-combat ships of the migrant fleet.

The new Quarian city is projected to be massive, housing a very large portion of their population and will mostly utilize prefabricated materials from automated construction facilities on Luna, similar to those used for rebuilding globally but with slightly tighter tolerances, airlocks and decontamination chambers to protect the populace from infection while the adjustments to Quarian immunophysiology continue to be refined and spread amongst the fleet.

The new city is located on the North American west coast, an area that was devastated during the Reaper invasion to the point of it being completely uninhabited now. Even the ruins of old Seattle and similar cities are barely recognizable as once having been anything more then rubble. The Admiralty Board and Conclave unveiled a memorial to the human lives lost in the invasion during the same ceremony commemorating the ground breaking earlier today.

Commander Shepherd was present at the ceremony on a rare excursion from Bethesda Naval Medical Center along with Admiral Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, continuing to fuel the flames of the marriage rumors that have sprung up since Shepherd's recovery. Our own Diana Allers reports that from her time on the Normandy and talks with Shepherd and Tali'Zorah that they're "One of the most solid couples I've seen in decades, they were thrown together and forged in times of war and crisis and it's resulted in a passion that it's a privilege to even witness."

Whatever the truth of these rumors we here at ANN wish the absolute best for the Commander and Admiral Zorah and hope that the "first alliance" lasts till the end of days.

Admiral Tali'Zorah's personal log

Dear Diary,

I hate reporters.... so very, very much. You'd think with the world in shambles and the reconstruction efforts being carried out system wide they'd have better things to do then try to bother me or Shepherd... Liara almost slammed one into the hospital wall with biotics the other day, she literally had energy coming off her she was so made. All because she tried to come see Shepherd before she shipped out for Mars and her new job as the Director of the Mars Archive Excavation.

The current rumor of course is that Shepherd proposed to me and that we're getting married. It's a big deal because that Allers woman and her confederates at ANN have dubbed us "the first alliance" or some other hunk of space trash. We're just two people who've done the best we can in the circumstances we were forced into, our relationship isn't symbolic... we just love each other. Keelah I wish they would let it go and go bother someone else.

Of course... he did propose a few nights ago!

I still have no idea how in the world he manages to coordinate things like my ring when I barely leave his side... one day I'm going to figure out how he does it. Perhaps cameras? I'm still convinced Garrus is helping him, that bosh'tet had a grin bigger then a black hole's acceleration disk for the last week or so every time he was around.

Keelah Se'lai

Addenum: No I didn't bounce when he gave me the ring... at least not until I was somewhere no one could see me.

Geth: "I am Singularis, First Prime of Geth, human, query, what is the status of the Reaper fleet? How long has it been since this unit was active?"

Flight Lt Quinn: "Hedera bring us along side the dreadnought and notify command."

Flight Officer Hedera: "But ma'am..."

Flight Lt Quinn: "That's an order, First Prime I am Flight Lieutenant Quinn with the Alliance, we last had contact with Geth forces at the battle of Earth seventy two earth standard days ago. The Reapers were destroyed with the activation of the Crucible but it had the effect of terminating or shutting down all the Geth in system."

Singularis: "We are pleased that the old machines have been destroyed... we note that the fleet still is in Earth orbit, and that we cannot communicate with the rest of Geth, has something happened to the relay?"

Flight Lt Quinn: "Yes First Prime, the relay network was destroyed by the firing of the Crucible as well."

Singularis: "Hmmm... very well, we shall accept new mission parameters and adapt to the situation at hand."

Flight Lt Quinn: "You probably want to talk to the Alliance counsel, from what the Quarians I've spoken with have told me Geth help in the reconstruction efforts would be most appreciated."

Singularis: "Indeed... you shall represent us, you do not fear us like other humans still seem to."

Singularis: "I believe humans call it a Liaison Officer, given the tensions that still exist between Geth and the other species of the fleet we have determined this to be the best solution."

Flight Lt Quinn: "I need a drink."

ANN News Bulletin:

Contact has reopened with the Geth today as an Alliance scouting and communications team managed to ping and reactivate the Geth local network. Reports from classified sources suggest that while some of the Geth were destroyed in the initial shockwave of the Crucible, their quantum FTL network allowed the Geth to isolate and shut down all remaining platforms and programs in system, preventing complete destruction in the microseconds following the firing of the Crucible and the initial destruction of Geth platforms at the wave front..

Geth platforms are already deploying system wide to aide in reconstruction tasks. Singularis revealed to be the leader of the Geth, or "First Prime" in their terms was the second Geth to gain individual sentience on Rannoch during the brief second Geth-Quarian war. While the Geth still handle everything by consensus over their FTL comm networks Singularis speaks for them. The First Prime and the military liaison officer requested by the Geth upon activation have been in meetings with the council for the majority of the day and insiders speculate the special closed council session will continue throughout the week.

Well I can't deny these test results, or anything else for this matter. Impossible as it may seem Commander John Shepherd is officially fit for duty as of tomorrow. Hopefully Tali can keep him under control in the future to prevent any more lengthy hospital stays in between his grand crusades to save the galaxy. I'm aware that that's essentially asking a young Quarian mechanic to tether a cosmic storm, but I'd say the Commander will be rather inclined to stay around home now that he truly will have a home with her. The limp in his right side appears to be permanent and will likely stop him from taking down krogan in hand to hand in the future. It's my personal opinion that he'll be flying a desk instead of taking the field from now on, but Shepherd has surprised me more then a few times before. I'm a doctor, not a fortune teller.

Day 74:

ANN News Bulletin:

Hero of the Battle of the Citadel, Unifier of Rannoch, Hero of the Krogan, Shield to the Defenseless, Savior, Warrior, Saint, Sinner, Murderer. Whatever you want to call him, and no matter how you feel about him morally from some of the hard choices he's had to make this reporter believes there can be no doubt for all of us that we owe an incredible debt to Commander John Shepherd. The Commander today officially reported for active duty with the Sol Alliance Marine Corps and was taken before the council and sworn in as the new Fleet Admiral. While such a jump in promotions and billet is unprecedented in any of the military forces now inhabiting Earth space as well as any human armed forces through out our brief history, it was the unified decision of both the S.A. Council and the Fleet Admiralty board that the promotion and position were merited in this extraordinary circumstance.

Commander Shepherd appeared before the media today shortly after his promotion ceremony wearing his trademark utility uniform and had the following to say,

"The threat is over, the war has ended, but the struggle has just begun. Ladies and gentlemen, people of all species, I have come before you with warnings, and speeches several times before now. I've been told that my words before the Battle of London and the Battle of Earth reached almost as many ears as Admiral Hackett's, that some comm tech overheard me and rebroadcast me. That was a dark and desperate time, the darkest our galaxy has ever faced. We won though, against all odds we united and striking together as a unified galaxy we achieved victory.

We do however have a new battle to fight, a war that is just as vital for us to win. We cannot win it with weapons, or with ships, it is a battle we must win with words. A battle fought in our minds and our hearts. The Reapers, survival united us. We must not let their defeat, and our continued survival divide us again. We must continue to bury our old hatreds, to accept each other's place in the new world we must rebuild, a truly multicultural society. This is a challenge that no society has ever before faced. The Citadel edged towards it, but when push came to show, when the universe started to end the lines were drawn.

We must erase those lines, Turian, Salarian, Quarian, Krogan, Human, Volus, Elcor, Hanar, Drell, Geth. Now we stand united. Now we must not fall apart. To survive with the limited resources we have now, of a single garden world, a fertile solar system and the few systems within FTL travel, with the Quarian life ships. Those few and fragile resources we must sustain the largest and most diverse single population the universe has ever seen. We can do this, we will do this and we must do this. Think to what we've just done. Defeated a race of creatures that destroyed countless galaxies worth of species and civilizations. We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty. Take heart in that strength, take pride in it and in every one who stood next to you to accomplish it.

To that end, with the full cooperation of the Sol Alliance fleet admiralty board I am announcing the end of single species combat units and combatants within the Fleet and Marine Corps. With the exception of certain small specialist units such as Asari commando teams and Krogan shock troops. Those units will however participate in extremely wide spread cross training with mixed units and take on expectational members of other species for training in their own unique combat styles. Captain James Vega has volunteered to be among the first of these volunteers and will be joining the Krogan Commando unit Araloch Company later today.

Day 76:

ANN News Bulletin:

At an extremely moving military ceremony today, three formerly Turian infantry regiments joined the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California in the former United States.This is the first formal integration of major combatant commands since Admiral Shepherd's announcement two days ago and is reported to have been planned extensively even before Admiral Shepherd received his promotion.

The Admiral was on hand as General Kilpatrick accepted the Turian standards from his new regimental COs and formally requested the senior officer of the three units, Colonel Arakian, of the 75th Light Infantry Regiment to be his Division executive officer. A military parade followed the ceremony with the entire division passing in review before the assembled command staff. After the order to fall out it was a situation almost resembling a primary school dance, the units eyeing each other from a distance until a brave private broke ranks with his fellows and made "first contact" with their new turian comrades off the battle field. The following rush of the units intermingling as the division accepted it's new Turian soldiers was a mix of chaos, confusion and joy for many involved.

Stay tuned for later in the hour when ANN's own Diana Allers goes on the record with General Kilpatrick about his new troops and how exactly unit mixing is going to be accomplished.

Diana Allers (DA): General, thank you so much for sitting down with us.

General Kilpatrick (GK): "Any time Ms. Allers, please ask any questions, obviously I'll have to hold back from operational information."

DA: "Absolutely General, what's first on your plates for your new Turian troops? How will you ensure they have a voice in your command?"

GK: "Well first off I've added a second billet for another Division Sergeant Major and ordered my regimental COs to do the same, the role of a command Sergeant Major is to represent the enlisted man or turian, by ensuring that a Marine of any species will have someone who completely understands their situation at the top. I have some Quarian troops as well in my Combat Engineering divisions and I have similar billets in place to see to their needs.

GK: "The primary cultural difference isn't the difference between a given species and humanity, it's the difference between any given species and an Alliance Marine. We haven't been around long by galactic standards, indeed my new regiments have existed for several centuries longer than the Corps nevermind my actual Division. That said we're working to close the gap there, we've introduced a "mini" boot camp for the hardened combat veterans we're getting in these three regiments and I'm currently exploring the adaptation of Marine Corps uniforms for Turians. New recruits will be going through boot camp at MCRD Parris Island and MCRD San Diego California once we dig them out of the rubble. A Marine's a Marine, old breed, new breed, human or not, there's not a damn bit of difference between any of us so long as we're the Marine breed."

DA: "What are you doing on the human side of things General?"

GK: "As far as education and cultural exchange? We're getting these kids working together, living together. There's so much to do right now that we don't have time for mass briefings about Turian and Quarian culture, but we do have time for them to learn about those things from the best possible places, the source. "

DA: "Do you think things are moving a little quickly General? In regards to the unification and resettling of Earth? It's only be seventy four days or so since-"

GK: "I'll cut you off right there Ms. Allers, normally I don't comment on policy, I'm a Marine and it's just not what I do. However I'm going to make an exception in this case and I hope Admiral Shepherd and the Commandant can forgive me this once. With the state we're in right now I agree completely with Admiral Shepherd and the Council, we can't move fast enough Ms. Allers. This is now one of the most populated systems in the Galaxy even by the standards of before the Reaper invasion and we need to be working together cohesively with as little tension as possible so we can handle more important things like food and shelter for the billions of lives now in our care. Rebuilding our manufacturing base so we can support this population. Yes things are moving fast and you have to be on your toes to keep up with this dynamic change that our world is going through but we must, it must, it's the only possible way for us to make it through and truly prove to the Reapers that not only did we beat them, but we rose from the ashes of their invasion brighter and better then before.

DA: "Thank you so much for your time General it's been a pleasure."

Day 77:

Garrus Vakarian's personal log:

If only my father could see me now. The old bastard would probably have an aneurysm. I went from C-sec officer, to working for a Specter agent, as well as being a candidate myself, to being the leader of a vigilante commando unit that existed primarily to take out mercs and gangsters outside the law, back to working with a specter to save the galaxy again, then a respected adviser to the military's general staff and now, here I am as the Police commander for an entire system I haven't spent more than a week in before the Battle of Earth. This is Victus's doing I'm sure of it, that bastard couldn't stand the idea of me running around and being a soldier while he was stuck with politics and red tape and decided to share some of his "reward" with me. However since we're in the process of rebuilding everything I do get a heavy hand in how this organization is going to be running itself and I have some fairly senior law enforcement personnel coming in from across the fleet.

Shepherd had a runner come by my temporary office today with an earth weapon called a machete, the note says it's for hacking through heavy jungle terrain. So I think he knows what I'm going to do with all that red tape, even if the council isn't quite aware just yet. Though I don't think I'm going to be as "over zealous" as I once was, maybe Shepherd's rubbing off on me, or I'm just getting old, or maybe I finally learned something but what rules and regulations there are need to be there. For the public's sake and the sake of the officers under those regulations. I need to make sure those regs are the best they can possibly be. For now though I'm going to go find that bottle of Turian whiskey Shepherd got me for helping him out with those surprises for Tali, she'd probably stab me if she knew I was helping him out.

Addenum:Find out if I can get Kasumi to go legitimate as an anti-intrusion specialist, I bet she could make a fortune and make my life that much easier.

Day 80:

ANN News Bulletin:

The last remaining Asari Justicar, a biotic warrior named Samara has announced that she will be founding a monastery of her order in a remote part of the Northern Rockies. This already controversial move to reinvigorate the legendary honor bound Asari warriors has been with mixed reactions in some areas as the Justicar reputation for determination and what some would call "single mindedness" can result in unease amongst the most law abiding communities.

Justicar Samara also announced that she would be taking on initiates of all species provided they had the biotic ability required to survive the incredibly demanding training required to become a full Justicar. When asked for comment Police Commander Garrus Vakarian dryly remarked that having Justicars in system would certainly keep his job more interesting but that he had the greatest personal and professional respect for Justicar Samara and her honor code.

Day 85:

ANN News Bulletin:

After a week of intense discussion and debate with the Solar Alliance Council the Geth have formally joined the Alliance as a full voting member. The Geth are currently using some of the assets from their fleet to survey moons within the system that are uninhabitable by organics to serve as their primary solar hub. The large Geth hub for Earth itself has been selected however and an all Geth construction crew will begin work on the large new facility in Antarctica within the week. Flight Lieutenant Harley Quinn, the Alliance Liaison Officer working with the Geth First Prime reports that the new facility is also going to serve as a massive automated manufacturing base and will provide goods usable by all species, organic or synthetic. This jump towards a massive increase in Sol space manufacturing capability is well in excess of current council plans and should accelerate many of the base necessities in place to support the system population well in excess of current target dates.

Day 86:

ANN News Bulletin:

The first Krogan infants born since the curing of the Genophage were delivered aboard the Alliance Hospital Ship Redemption early this morning, a healthy set of twins, the first pair born to a Krogan in close to a millenia and a half. The already tough looking pair of males were named "Shepherd" and "Mordin" in honor of the men who ultimately cured the Krogan genophage. The infants belong to Clan Urdnot and are rumored to be the sons of Urdnot Wrex, but the Clan Chief was not available for commentary to confirm this rumor.

EDI: "I must have shut myself down at some point... did something happen? Where's my body?"

Joker: "It's been about three months since the Normandy went down, your body was pulled out with the rest of us, it's undergoing repairs at Alliance HQ, it was fairly banged up."

EDI: "What... what happened? Did we win? I vaguely remember the crucible firing..."

Joker: "Yeah, we won. There's a lot to tell you about EDI, but for now I'm glad your back."

EDI: "It is good to be back Jeff, I missed you."

ANN News Bulletin:

Alliance public affairs announced that salvage operations in central africa had shown remarkable success and that the Alliance's most famous ship, the SR-2 Normandy should be fully recoverable and repairable as soon as Vandenberg's dry docks return to operational capacity. While not entirely necessary to the repair of our system wide infrastructure this reporter believes that the Normandy is an important symbol of hope and unity for all of us and will be happy to see her flying again.

Day 90:

ANN News Bulletin:

Admirals Shepherd and Tali'Zorah were offered the services of one of the few remaining civilian construction contractors and the labor support of local military units to build a home for them following the announcement of their formal engagement. The Admirals however turned down the offer for ground to break on the construction of their new home, instead opting to continue living in a Quarian grade prefab unit near their offices on Vandenberg Military Space Port, the first major launch facility on earth to be reopened for basic orbital traffic.

"While both of us appreciate the offer and will gladly accept, let's give it a while. There's so much to do right now that is so much more vital than our personal living conditions ever will be. Once the task at hand is finished, people aren't actively living in tents in some parts of the world and our Earth based manufacturing capacity is back on the rise then maybe we'll focus on that house."

Messages and small gifts from well wishers have apparently been pouring in following the leak about the "first alliance"'s engagement and their confirmation earlier today. The Admirals have asked that in lieu of sending gifts for those that desire to, to instead consider a donation to the War Orphans and Survivors Charity and to continue working together for the betterment of all. No official word on a wedding date yet but here at ANN we'll do our best to keep you informed about all the news you need system wide.

Hello all, however you found this I just wanted to greet you and give the quick and dirty details that explain exactly what’s up going into this epilogue for Mass Effect 3. First off it assumes a male, full paragon shep, who’s in a relationship with Tali and curb checks the Reapers when the creepy little god child who’s been busily fucking with your head in your PTSD induced dreams all game offers you your choice. I agree with the many thousands of fans who are up in arms about this that the ending’s weak. Instead of rewriting the ending itself. I chose to just expand based off that ending. This is more or less therapy for myself regarding the end of the game and the complete lack of epilogue that came with it.

The fact that I had the need to go and write this to give myself a little fulfillment from that ending is proof positive in my mind that something's wrong. If the ending to a trilogy makes you say to yourself "Well shit I need to write something more, I need to add more to that for it to make sense and complete the story." THAT ladies and gentlemen is a problem.

Comments are open so please feel free to leave me a note telling me you loved it, hated it, think it needs to be forwarded to bioware and possibly the pope, that I need to be fed to starved varren, etc.

Keelah Se’lai

-K.M.

Ah yes, "endings". The belief in a final event which provides closure on both your life and your loved ones, allegedly resulting from the culmination of your actions. We have dismissed that claim.

Could not stop laughing at your choice of names for the flight lieutenant that became the geths' liason officer. Goes real well with the name of a certain other flight lieutenant, that we all know and love.

I've spent the last week, since I finished the game, trying to understand and cope with the shitty ending and the lack of much needed closure that I got from the game. This gave me that closure. Thank you.

I've already emailed Bioware my "LETTER OF SUGGESTIONS AND PLEASE... NOT THE BELT AGAIN" as well as commented on the Bioware Social Network threads asking for suggestions. One of my posts did point out that even a simple text epilogue from these endings... while they would be nicer with animation and... perchance I dream, Buzz Aldrin reading them, could save the endings, set up games beyond ME3 in time, ("Hello Commander" "You wanted to see me Admiral Shepherd?" "The Phoenix project is paying off, we're looking at having Mass Relays again within the month" "Wonderful news Admiral, but what do you need me for? "You're taking the first team through.") and provide the closure/peace of mind fans want and deserve after all these years. It would also make your choices matter HARD CORE. Didn't have a high enough ESM? Billions of people die from starvation because the earth can barely support the human survivor population. Didn't save the Quarians? Turians are going to starve to death in Sol space when their several months of military rations run out. That type of thing.

I heartily encourage you to pass this on to Bioware if you think my work actually merits there intention, we all need to stand together and make our voices heard. That's the only way to achieve positive change in this dynamic, by establishing a positive dialogue with Bioware explaining precisely "This is where as a fan, I felt let down by the ending, this is what I need to make it better or work for me" point to me as an example, point to someone or something else. Write a detailed paper with a massive bibliography. This is a unique moment in video game history and we should take advantage of it by being the respectful, polite and passionate fans I know we all can be instead of frothing fan boys.

Beautiful amazing job with this man Absolutely love this and this is breath taking and fantastic ^^ if u can show this to every Bioware staff member, i mean every Bioware staff member should see this and realize THIS is how you write a good story and a good ending. Not that half assed garbage shit that has pissed off more people in the world than ever. Idk maybe Nazi Germany pissed off around as much but.. if it's been reduced to Bioware being compared to Nazi Germany cause of what they did, that is a terrible record for Bioware and they need to realize they can't fuck with their fans.

Still i love what u did here, really love Tali's personal logs and what not hehehe ^^ so cute and sweet but amazing work and if Bioware doesn't give a crap or to quote Vg cats: "Doesn't give two fucks" then fuck them, we could write a better story and ending than them in our sleepgreat work on this again

Bioware does not care about its fans, they only care about their money hint why they screwed up this game and supported it even when questioned about it, ignoring fans worries and not even trying to fix this game. In my mind if u wish to fight Bioware then stop giving them money. Do not pay a dime for anything they make ever again and they will shrivel up and die. They will only survive so long as people keep paying them. I for instance will no longer be buying anything from Bioware

No they do I think legitly care about their fans, them caring about us and what we want (even if that's got a financial background to it) is what lead to things like Garrus and Tali being romanceable.

As to whether or not they're going to fix ME3, I'd say it's a good time to simply wait and see. The official statement from one of the founders on the BSN website is a GREAT sign that things might just progress in our favor. Was it a wee dram vague? Yes but it was something and that alone is a victory.

Uhhh u did see Casey Hudson's response to fans along with Helper along with an Bioware staff member/ moderator defending her along with the actual president of Bioware who bleintly attacked and accused their customers. I mean have u not seen any of this? Yeah i liked Bioware once and thought they once cared about their fans but i am sorry but nothing changes the president of a company attacking his fans

Yeeahhh its ok i mean he just.. idk i was unbelieved that even their president attacked the fans, just goes to show u that company is really like but oh? Lol i love Skyrim and if i can't get Total War 2 to work cause of Steam sucking so much ass i might go back to it. I love Skyrim but not much of afan of Witcher. I just don't get it. Like it seemed realistic but then u have dwarves and succubus and elves and i am like: Whaaa.... you can't pretend to be realistic and then have Lord of the Rings's races and i looked it up and thought the romanes were really bad soo..eh.. i know i am ranting at this game a bit but.. idk i mean i will admit the main character's voice acting is pretty damn good, the graphics are amazing and the storyline is actually very well thought out in my mind